Assessment and Evaluation

At Project Courage, we take our assessment and evaluation process very seriously. We feel it’s critical to conduct a thorough assessment and evaluation so that we can help you determine if one of our programs meets your current needs. We don’t force our point of view on you; rather, we strive to meet you where you are in your recovery process.

During the assessment process, we focus on eight different domains. These domains help us get to know you, your strengths and struggles, and your family better.

The domains we focus on in the assessment and evaluation process include

Family Interactions and Dynamics: We understand that the relationships and interactions you have with your family have a significant impact on the person you are today.

Impaired Control: Impaired control refers to situations in which you consume more alcohol or drugs than what you had anticipated you would, and/or what happens when you try to cut down or quit using a substance. Impaired control is one of the earliest signs of alcohol or drug dependence.

Family History of Substance Use: Substance use disorders tend to run in families. Research indicates that parental substance abuse can influence substance use disorders in children.

Age of Initiation: Research indicates that those who used alcohol or drugs in adolescence are more likely to develop substance use disorders than those who used drugs or alcohol for the first time in adulthood.

Development: We want to know about your personal development throughout life as well as how your drug or alcohol use has developed over time. We understand that many factors contribute to the development of a substance use disorder. We want to understand the factors that led to your substance use disorder so that we can best help you in overcoming these obstacles.

Use Patterns: Not all drug or alcohol use patterns are necessarily problematic. We want to understand whether your substance use is experimental, recreational, habitual, intensive, or dependent so that we can offer you the most helpful tools for your specific situation in recovery.

Risk and Protective Factors Profile: Risk factors are biological, family, psychological, community and cultural characteristics that are associated with a higher likelihood of a negative outcome in recovery. Protective factors are characteristics that are associated with a lower likelihood of a negative outcome. Protective factors can also counteract a risk factor’s impact. It’s important for us to understand your risk and protective factors so that we can help you determine which treatment interventions will best serve you.

Motivation and Stage of Change: At Project Courage, we use the stages of change theory to help guide our treatment plans. There are six stages of change: Precontemplation, contemplation, preparation/determination, action, maintenance, and relapse. Understanding which stage of change you’re currently in helps us meet you where you are. We understand that you may move through each of these stages numerous times during the recovery process.

If you think one of our treatment programs is a good fit for your needs, please contact us so we can get the assessment process started. We look forward to partnering with you on your road to recovery.